Work will focus on pairing electro-biochemical and fluidized bed technologies to reduce electron donor requirements and solids generation while improving performance and lowering costs
Kingwood, TX and Salt Lake City, UT — Envirogen Technologies, Inc. and Inotec, Inc. announced that they have entered into a joint technology development agreement to advance the performance of bioreactors in groundwater, mining water and a broad range of wastewater treatment applications. The initial focus of the development activity will be on reducing the amount of substrate (electron donor) required to successfully operate anoxic bioreactors as well as on minimizing the amount of solids generated during operation. Bioreactor treatment operating costs are among the lowest of any type of water treatment technology on the market today – with electron donor and solids handling representing a significant portion of long-term project costs. Initial targets for technology development will be removal of metals and inorganics such as perchlorate, nitrate, sulfate, selenium, arsenic, mercury and more.
According to Dave Enegess, Senior Vice President for Envirogen, the potential synergies for Envirogen’s fluidized bed reactor (FBR) and Inotec’s electro-biochemical reactor (EBR) technologies can be a boon for companies in need of high-performance, lower cost water treatment. “We’re excited at the opportunity to work with Inotec to advance the state-of-the-art of bioreactor technology. Jack Adams and his team have been at the forefront of bioreactor technology development for decades. The innovation in the EBR technology is apparent and addresses key industry concerns,” he said. “This agreement is another step in our drive to push bioreactor technology to meet new challenges for treatment efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The goal here is first to be able to develop better solutions tailored to groundwater and wastewater treatment applications in mining, power, chemical and refining facilities – and potentially to develop revolutionary, next-step bioreactor technology,” he continued.
Envirogen’s FBR is a fixed-film bioreactor in which biological media is suspended, or fluidized, within the reactor vessel by the upward flow of water through the system. High concentrations of biomass, its plug-flow characteristics and tall beds minimize bioreactor footprint and shorten retention times. They offer steady-state performance, without the need for backwashing and are tolerant of high feed total dissolved and suspended solids and metals. Inotec’s EBR provides electrons to microbes in reactor environments using low DC voltage potential (1-3 volts) and mA current in configurations that provide an electron density gradient or a controlled electron density. The provided electrons result in increased microbial contaminant transformation kinetics, reduced retention times, and reductions in the amount of nutrients and chemicals required for contaminant removal.
D. Jack Adams, President of Inotec cited Envirogen’s experience in deploying over 60 FBRs for groundwater and wastewater treatment as an indication of the company’s leadership in the field. “The Envirogen team are pioneers in fluidized bed bioreactor technology for water treatment. Development of hybrid bioreactors, like an electro-biochemical fluidized bed reactor technology, holds considerable potential for more economical and more effective water treatment. The FBR process obtains one of the fastest contaminant removal kinetics, while the EBR technology consistently demonstrates metal and inorganics removals to low- and sub-ppb values. We look forward to working with Dave Enegess and the Envirogen team to apply the synergistic benefits of our combined technologies and to continue advancing the science and performance of bioreactor technology.”
About Envirogen Technologies, Inc.
Headquartered in the Houston suburb of Kingwood, Texas, Envirogen Technologies, Inc. is an environmental technology and process solutions provider that combines experience in water and vapor phase treatment with process development expertise – delivering long-term, guaranteed solutions in a broad range of treatment and process-related applications. A primary focus for Envirogen is the concept of ‘lifecycle performance,’ in which the company provides guaranteed, pay-for-performance, long-term contracts at predictable costs that offer customers the lowest total cost over the lifetime of an equipment installation. Primary applications for Envirogen’s systems include treatment of groundwater for the delivery of high-quality potable water, groundwater remediation, wastewater treatment, water re-use, nutrient removal, and odor and VOC control for municipal and industrial markets. In industrial markets such as food and beverage, mining, power, hydrocarbon processing and chemical processing, Envirogen also specializes in process water treatment, byproduct recovery and chemical purification. The company conducts business throughout the United States, with regional offices in Southern California, New Jersey and Tennessee. For more information on the company, visit www.envirogen.com.
About Inotec, Inc.
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, Inotec, Inc. is an environmental engineering and biotechnology company providing innovative solutions to remove metals, inorganics, and organic contaminants from industry waters. Inotec combines source treatment, semi-passive, and bioreactor technologies into site-tailored systems to address a broad spectrum of water treatment issues in a sustainable manner. The company’s goal is to combine proven technologies and expertise to deliver the most reliable and economical water treatment solutions for re-use or safe release to the environment. Our objective is to reduce industry costs and environmental impact relative to water use and discharge. For more information on the company, visit www.inotec.us.
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